Better to be one of the Bhoys
Deila’s sales pitch to Gary will be blend of home comforts and wider ambitions
CELTIC and Gary Mackay - St e v e n look like an ideal fit to Ronny Deila. It is, though, what the player sees that truly counts. Mackay- Steven would surely at l east have decent English Championship sides at his disposal if he ran down his Dundee United deal and became a free agent next summer.
A move south of the border has previously been his stated aim, inspired by the success of former colleagues Johnny Russell and Andrew Robertson, but that outlook has been complicated by Celtic’s move to land him on a pre-contract agreement.
If that is successful, then Deila would hope a fee could be agreed with United to bring the 24-yearold to Parkhead in the current transfer window. First, though, Mackay-Steven has to say yes.
Having informed United of their intentions, Deila could speak with the winger in the coming days. His sales pitch will be a mixture of home comforts and wider ambitions.
The Norwegian sees advantages for Mackay-Steven in stepping up in a domestic environment he knows well — and real benefits for Celtic in landing a player ready to hit the ground running.
‘It’s about the way we’re working and how we are playing,’ said Deila. ‘Celtic sells itself as well because everyone knows about it.
‘I think it’s also a good step to go through, keep yourself in Scotland and do well here with Celtic and in Europe then your chances will be even bigger.
‘I think it’s safer for him and it’s safer for us. We want to be the best club to develop players and that’s going to be a good thing for him as well.’
Deila confirmed he had long been tracking Mackay- Steven’s progress, although somewhat ironically he first caught his eye during United’s worst defeat of the season.
‘It was when we beat United 6-1 earlier in the season,’ said Deila. ‘I saw his penetrating runs and he was tricky.
‘I also saw him against Aberdeen at the beginning of the season at Pittodrie when he scored a goal.
‘He’s a player I like, he’s quick, can go in behind, go past people. He has a good understanding of the game and suits our style of playing.’
Pace i n wide areas is a key element of Deila’s philosophy but establishing that trait within the Celtic team has been a trickier task. Unconvincing — and controversial — loan signings have combined with injury issues to stymie his plans.
‘Who are the quick wingers?’ asked Deila. ‘We had (Aleksandar) Tonev, but he’s been out for a while. Derk Boerrigter has been injured most of the time and James Forrest has also been out. We have not had the fast wingers available.
‘Also we need competition and when a player like Mackay-Steven is available we have to be on our toes and try to do it.
‘If Mackay-Steven comes now then it is for this season because he’s a Scottish player, he knows the league and he can go in and do a job at once.
‘But for players coming in from other countries it’s harder for them to get into the environment and the way of playing.’
Boerrigter has very much become a forgotten man after failing to make a single appearance since August. The former Ajax player is, however, at least now active at Lennoxtown again.
‘He trained for the first time on Thursday,’ said Deila. ‘Everyone has a chance, but when you have been out for a long time, it takes time to get back to the highest level.
‘You have to show you have the quality and the attitude you need to play in this team and then we will see.’
Deila i s keen to s t ep up recruitment plans, having returned from a week-long training camp in Gran Canaria which he believes will benefit Celtic in the second half of the season.
Yet he is also keenly aware that f ocus cannot waver f rom the matches in front of his side.
They head to Hamilton tomorrow sitting f our points adrift of Premiership leaders Aberdeen but with two games in hand.
‘We have to take every game seriously,’ he said. ‘We have to do the same as in November and take one game at a time.
‘Now it is Hamilton and that will be a tough game. But we have a good chance there if we can keep the l evel we showed against Kilmarnock.
‘We have had some good points and results in the last two or three months but our opponents have followed us and you have to also give them credit.
‘We have to keep up and we are only halfway. If we can keep up the improvement in the next matches then, hopefully, we’ll get more points than we have so far and we will see if Aberdeen can cope with that.’
Celtic face huge games against Rangers and Inter Milan next month, with John Guidetti speaking in Gran Canaria about his desire to score an Old Firm hat-trick. That may suggest the Swede is looking too far down the line, but Deila isn’t concerned about distractions.
‘Aberdeen is making that job easier for us because everybody knows what the most important thing is and that is the league,’ he said. ‘That is No 1 and then the cups are after that.
‘We are hungry. I see the hunger in us in training and I can’t wait to start playing games again.
‘Of course, it is good for the league that there are more teams competing for the Championship.
‘Again, we have won a lot of matches but we need to be on top of every game to get the title because Aberdeen are doing very well. There are also other teams behind Aberdeen who, if they get a run, will also be into it.
‘But I am determined to win. That is what we are thinking of every day.’
“We want to be the best club to develop players”